New World Scheduler (NWS) is software system designed for Jehovah’s Witnesses to help with scheduling and organizing your congregation.
NWS consists of three separate packages that all work together:
NWS Desktop 8.1
Easy. Simple. Fast.
Have an Apple Mac? See How to install New World Scheduler on Apple Mac
New World Scheduler is available in 120+ languages
It is used by thousands of congregations in 180+ countries
- Note: To download NWS Mobile, please see NWS Mobile
- Note: To download NW Publisher app, please see NW Publisher app
NWS Desktop 8.1
Overview
Welcome to NWS Desktop 8.1!
We have added several new features, many improvements to Territories and additional security enhancements to NW Publisher app.
NWS Mobile continues to be improved and refined. A big Thank You to all the BETA testers who are submitting detailed problem reports! Please continue to send BETA reports via our website.
IMPORTANT 1: After you first open NWS Desktop 8.1, you may be asked to Send App Data. If so, please Send App Data. This ensures NWP has the latest, secure data.
IMPORTANT 2: As mentioned in January, all congregations must change to the new Sharing Servers before May 1st, 2026. The process is very simple and takes just 30 seconds. If your congregation has not yet transitioned, please make sure to do so this week:
- Ensure all appointed brothers have closed NWS.
- One Congregation Administrator opens NWS Desktop, clicks Congregation > Congregation Sharing > Change Region.
- He then selects the NEW Region and clicks OK. Data will sync to the NEW region and the old region will be automatically deleted.
- The next time any other appointed brother opens NWS he will be asked to select the new region.
Warm Christian Love, New World Scheduler Team
Release Notes
NEW FEATURE: Custom Scheduler
- A new Custom Scheduler under Schedule. This allows you to create custom schedules for anything congregation-related that does not already exist in NWS. For example: Pioneer School meal preparation, picking up elderly, meals for the sick, security for local LDC construction, LDC meal preparation, etc.
- Each Custom Schedule can have its own name, dates and roles, which can all be customized.
- Once the schedule is setup, you can then assign publishers to fulfill a role for a specific date.
- Data will show on NW Publisher app, and printed reports will also be added later.
NEW FEATURE: Memorial Scheduler
- A new Memorial Scheduler under Schedules. This allows you to schedule all the roles for the Memorial.
- Roles can be added, removed or customised, including specifying how many people for each role, and Notes for each role.
- “Default Roles” are automatically added the first time you open NWS Desktop, but please feel free to customize these.
- Data will show on the NW Publisher app, and printed reports will also be added later.
- Note: We tried very hard to have this ready before the memorial, but ran out of time. But next year will come around in no time! 🙂
IMPORTANT: NW Publisher app Authentication
- We are continuously improving and enhancing data security and authentication to keep up-to-date with our ever-changing world. We try very hard to minimize disruptions to users, but occasionally this requires a user to re-login to NWP app, especially if they first logged in a long time ago. This is normal. This is not a bug and not a problem. This ensures their data remains secure. Our website contains the latest directions on how to authenticate users, so please keep up-to-date with any new direction.
- Occasionally, we also require data to be re-sent from NWS to NWP to ensure your data is using the latest encryption algorithms and updates.
- After you first open NWS Desktop 8.1, you may be asked to Send App Data. If so, please Send App Data. This ensures NWP has the latest, secure data.
Congregation Sharing
- FINAL REMINDER: Five new Sharing Servers were added in January. These new servers are much faster and even more secure. All congregations must change to the new Sharing Servers before May 1st, 2026. This does not affect NW Publisher app or publishers.
- The process is very simple and takes just 30 seconds:
- Ensure all appointed brothers have closed NWS.
- One Congregation Administrator opens NWS Desktop, clicks Congregation > Congregation Sharing > Change Sharing Region.
- He then selects the NEW Region and clicks Change Sharing Region. Data will sync to the NEW region and the old region will be automatically deleted.
- The next time any other appointed brother opens NWS he will be asked to select the new region.
Congregation
- Congregation Overview now shows the Age Demographic in categories of 10 years.
Territories
- When assigning territories, a new “Show to” field has been added. This allows you to choose either Congregation, Field Service Groups (multiple), Persons (multiple) or Family, and affects who can see the territory on NWP app.
- On NWP app, the publisher Assigned a territory can now adjust the Show to. This means they can effectively ‘share’ the territory to other Persons or Field Service Groups.
- On NWP app, when Self-Assigning a territory, the publisher can now specify the Campaign.
- On NWP app, the Congregation Territory List has a new Filter button.
- On NWP app, territories will now show a Google Maps Preview if no image has been added.
- On NWP app, territories will now show statistics of how many addresses on the map, and how many have been completed.
- On NWP app, can now tap “Get address at current location” when adding New Addresses.
- On NWP app, can now set the Status when adding New Addresses.
- NWP app Territory Address filter has been improved and enhanced.
- NWP app Address View has been improved, including moving the buttons to more logical places.
- On NWP app, when a publisher completes the final address on a territory (100%) they get a small reward.
- Territories can now freely be changed between In Person | Letter Writing | Phone | Business. This affects how the territory is viewed on NWP app.
- Territory Overview now offers a 24-month comparison period.
- Territory Assignments will now display the Historical Last Completed Date. This date is automatically updated on completion, and is not removed even when Territory Assignment Records expire.
- Can now Sign in with Hotmail (including Outlook) to send NWS emails.
NWS MOBILE (BETA)
- NWS Mobile continues to be improved and refined. A big Thank You to all the BETA testers who are submitting detailed problem reports! Please continue to send BETA reports via our website.
- Please see Help > Getting Started > NWS Mobile for more information.
NW PUBLISHER APP (NWP) (4.0.0 or greater)
- The publisher Assigned to a territory can now adjust the Show to. This means they can effectively ‘share’ the territory other Persons or Field Service Groups.
- When Self-Assigning a territory, the publisher can now specify the Campaign.
- The Congregation Territory List has a new Filter button.
- Territories will now show a Google Maps Preview if no image has been added.
- Territories will now show statistics of how many addresses on the map, and how many have been completed.
- Can now tap “Get address at current location” when adding New Addresses.
- Can now set the Status when adding New Addresses.
- Territory Address filter has been improved and enhanced.
- Address View has been improved, including moving the buttons to more logical places.
- When a publisher completes the final address on a territory (100%) they get a small reward.
- My Contact Information and My Emergency Contacts have been separated.
NWS Desktop 8.0
Download Link: New World Scheduler 8.0
Overview
Welcome to NWS Desktop 8.0!
We are very pleased to announce the release of NWS Mobile! NWS Mobile is a mobile version of New World Scheduler and contains many features found in NWS Desktop. It can run on Apple iOS, macOS and Google Android devices, and has been optimized for both mobile, tablet and laptop devices.
NWS Mobile is a complete re-write of NWS Desktop using a new Development Framework and programming language. It has taken nearly 2 years of development and over 300,000 lines of code. It maintains the same structure, data and security features, and is designed to be used along with NWS Desktop.
NWS Mobile requires your congregation use the new Sharing Servers and have a Congregation Gold license. There is no additional cost. NWS Mobile can be enabled in Congregation > Congregation Sharing. Please see Help > Getting Started > NWS Mobile for more information.
Note: NWS Mobile is currently BETA TESTING. This means problems or bugs are more likely, including data loss. Please only enable NWS Mobile if your congregation elders are willing to participate in BETA testing, are willing and able to report problems, and know how to restore data from backup in case of data loss.
Registration: Over the past year we have reduced the Congregation Gold registration price to match Congregation Silver, and reduced the Congregation Silver price to match Congregation Bronze. All Congregation Bronze users have been automatically upgraded to Congregation Silver for free, and Congregation Bronze has been discontinued.
Warm Christian Love, New World Scheduler Team
Release Notes
NWS Mobile (BETA)
- NWS Desktop now integrates with NWS Mobile, and allows brothers to use NWS Desktop on their home computers, and NWS Mobile on their mobile devices or Apple computers.
- NWS Mobile requires your congregation use the new Sharing Servers and have a Congregation Gold license. There is no additional cost. NWS Mobile can be enabled in Congregation > Congregation Sharing.
- NWS Mobile has its own Release Notes in NWS Mobile under About.
- Please see Help > Getting Started > NWS Mobile for more information.
USER INTERFACE
- NWS Desktop has an updated icon, logo and splash screen.
CONGREGATION SHARING
- Five new Sharing Servers have been added, which match the same Regions as the NW Publisher app Servers.
- Congregations should transition to the new Servers when convenient for your congregation, but before May 2026. This does NOT affect the NW Publisher app.
- To transition, one Congregation Administrator should perform the following:
- Click Congregation > Congregation Sharing > Shared Persons > Backup Shared Persons.
- Click Congregation > Congregation Sharing > Overview > Change Sharing Region.
- Select the new Region and confirm.
- Notify all Shared Persons that the Sharing Region has been changed, and that they will need to reconnect to Congregation Sharing and select the new Sharing Region.
- Remember: All Shared Persons will need the Congregation ID, Congregation Password and Sharing Region to connect again.
DATA SECURITY
- We have upgraded the End-to-End encryption algorithms in NWS Desktop, NWS Mobile and NWP app. We now use Argon2id + AES-GCM with AAD.
DATA MAINTENANCE
- There have been instances where a congregation might lose data (e.g. Meeting Attendances) when someone with EDIT User Access opens an old version of NW Scheduler. While we continue to urge congregations to limit EDIT access, and regularly update NW Scheduler, we have also improved the Data Maintenance to prevent data being overwritten by old versions. Most Data Maintenance tasks will no longer run automatically, but must be manually run in Congregation > Data Maintenance. We suggest brothers run this every few months, or if you experience data problems or duplication.
- Many ‘Data Containers’ must now be manually created, e.g. Congregation Field Service Report S-1, Meeting Attendance, Life and Ministry Meeting Schedules, etc. This is a simple 1-click process. This helps prevent data being automatically overwritten by other brothers.
SCHEDULE – HOSPITALITY
- Hospitality has now been changed from a Duty to an Assignment, and will show on NWP app as such.
- Weekend Custom 1 and 2 Assignments can now be assigned to a Person, Field Service Group or Other Group.
TERRITORIES
- Can now Export your territories to KML.
- On the Territory Map, you now double-click to select a territory, instead of single-click.
LOGS
- Both the Sharing Logs and App Logs have been completely redesigned to be simpler and clearer.
NW Publisher app (NWP) (3.9.0 or greater)
- NWP has been updated to be compatible with the new data encryption algorithms and NWS Mobile.
- NWP has an updated logo.
Previous Versions of New World Scheduler
For all previous versions of New World Scheduler, including information about what changed with each version, please visit New World Scheduler Download Archives.
